Man granted bail after Auckland bar fight

A Napier man has appeared in court after a central Auckland
bar fight early yesterday led to another man being admitted
to hospital.

The 25-year-old victim received head injuries in the 3.20am
attack, which took place in the Cassette Nine nightclub on
Vulcan Lane, a popular drinking spot off Queen St. He was in
a stable condition in Auckland City Hospital last night.

The 22-year-old alleged attacker from Napier appeared in
Auckland District Court yesterday charged with causing
grievous bodily harm with intent to injure.

Community magistrate Joanna Sihamu suppressed the man's name
until Monday, giving him the weekend to inform his
grandparents of the allegation against him.

"They are ill and he feels that if they were to hear through
the public press it would cause them great, great stress and
he would like the opportunity to tell them himself," duty
lawyer John Kovacevich told the court.

If the man, described as a labourer, wants to keep his name
secret for longer, he must present further arguments on
Monday. He was granted bail until then.

Police described the incident as the collision of the lives
of two young men "and, chances are, neither life will be the
same again".

"Once again, as if any further proof was needed, this event
shows nothing good happens in the city after 3am," police
said.

Detective Senior Sergeant John Sutton said witnesses to the
dance-floor incident were able to alert the bar manager. Bar
staff followed a man for a short distance from the bar "so
were able to provide valuable information to police".

The man was arrested in nearby Fort St.

"Being able to monitor real-time CCTV footage in the area
enabled staff in our district command centre to dispatch
officers to a Fort St carpark promptly which resulted in the
22-year-old's arrest," Mr Sutton said.

Kevin Schwass, the Hospitality Association's Auckland branch
president, said people should "absolutely not" be deterred
from going into Auckland's CBD.

"No more than when you hear of a motor accident you wouldn't
get into the car," he said.

"The fact an assault happened on premise, you can't say that
the city is dangerous. On the contrary."

Ministry of Justice statistics showed 85 per cent of
alcohol-related offences occurred off premises, he said.

"There's always going to be incidents such as this," he said.
"But if they're happening on premise you've got bar staff
there, you've got security there to take control of the
situation, and it sounds like in this instance someone was
arrested very quickly."

Auckland Mayor Len Brown said his "thoughts are with the
young man in hospital and his family".